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TRP: Goro and Pride (Trouble)
Day 379, the deserted island. In the daylight, with plans in place to meet the Wells sisters for dinner, and Sam maybe on his way, and the freaky hybrid things now safely away from Renfield, Goro felt accomplished, and sleep felt possible again. He attached himself to Hansel, rested his head on Hansel's shoulder, and asked if he'd help. There was a small cave on the side of the cliff. Goro had crawled as far in as he could to make sure it was truly closed off on every side except the opening. It was dark in there, and sounds were muffled. Closest to a coffin he'd get, and less grim to boot. He and Hansel curled up together, Goro burying his face into Hansel's shirt, enjoying the body heat and letting himself be soothed by the smell of him and the sound of his heartbeat. He wouldn't tell Hansel this, since he knew Hansel would blame himself ferociously, but he hadn't been able to sleep last night because he hadn't been able to convince himself Hansel could keep him safe. Goro needed to protect Hansel. Hansel was vulnerable, upset. Twitchy. Scared. Things were evening out, though. Heading back to normal. Goro closed his eyes and breathed deep, and knew once again in his gut that Hansel wouldn't let anything touch him. IZZY After Goro drifted off to sleep -- Hansel stroking his hair -- there was a sort of blink. It wasn't harsh or jolting, just not as steady and gentle as waking from a sweet dream into a warm, cozy room would be. Not as pleasant as it normally was. Sudden. He woke in the parlor -- the sitting room downstairs with the tall windows overlooking the dark blue void, and the musical instruments scattered around. They were still and silent, now, and no lyre music drifted from elsewhere in the palace. Sam didn't seem to be around. Pride waited, standing over the couch Goro woke on, looking down at him intently. The forked tip of his long tail twitched around his hooves. "Where are you?" he asked, without preamble, as soon as Goro was awake. LINA Goro twitched, startled, and hastily straightened up. "Uh. Your house?" IZZY "In the waking world," he persisted. LINA "Oh. Uh. In a cave." Not helpful. "On an island by Moreau's Island." IZZY Pride clicked two steps to circle the low coffee table and knelt on the other side of it. He swept his arm across the table and burned a map into the surface -- the southern portion of the continent, Skyport and Calimport, the sea, the dotted islands. "Show me," he said. LINA Goro leaned over the map and looked it over, running a hand through his hair. "Uh." He pointed to a cluster of small islands. "I think? Pretty sure. We're staying on this one here, and then right up here, that's where the Wells sisters live." IZZY "Concerning." He drummed his golden claws on the table, making a sharp sound. "I can't see you." LINA Goro jerked his head up, a grin spreading over his face. "No shit. Really? That's fucked." IZZY Pride's claws tapped into the table again, leaving pinprick marks in the wood. "There are places on your plane that I cannot see. The church in Skyport." A tiny flame ignited over it, on the map. "The Tyrant King in Calisham." Another small, contained map. "Places where powerful magic blinds me." He fixed Goro with a hard stare. "If I can't see you, you're in immense danger." LINA "Oh. Yeah, I figured." IZZY Pride kept staring at him. "I won't have Sakincha die to save you, should it come to that," he said flatly. LINA "I don't want him to die saving me either," Goro said. "He's tough, though. I figured it wouldn't be nothing for him to swing by with a ship and pick us up, is all." IZZY His claws rapped against the table again. "As long as we understand each other. I dislike him being out of my sight." LINA "Uh." Goro fiddled with the end of his sleeve. "Not sure we do understand each other. You saying it's a no? He can't come get us?" IZZY "At this point, I can hardly stop him," Pride said, a bit dryly. He tapped twice more, as if he were thinking. "I'll allow a limited window of time." He dragged one claw in a circle, carving the face of a clock into the table. "If he only has to pick you up, it shouldn't take long. Any longer, and I'll have to assume he's in danger and intercede." He looked back up at Goro from the clock. "I don't want to intercede. Assure me you'll do everything in your power to make this quick." LINA "Yeah, pal. I don't wanna be there a minute longer than I have to." Goro kept fidgeting. "I mean, if we get in trouble before then, then he might not be able to find us. I dunno." IZZY "Don't get in trouble," Pride said emphatically. LINA "Trouble just kinda finds me." IZZY He made a gentle sort of scoffing sound, like it amused him. "I forget. Do your people understand magnets?" LINA "Huh? Yeah." Goro held up two fingers and kissed them together. "Fwoop." IZZY "They're oppositely charged," he said. "Like repels like and attracts opposite. Perhaps you should try to cause more trouble, and then it would leave you alone." LINA Goro stared at him blankly for a moment, then blinked. "Oh, you mean like--" He held up his fists in front of his face and snarled. "Stay the fuck away kinda thing?" IZZY He smiled faintly. "It might help." LINA "Nah, buddy--or sir, whatever--I been trying. Trust me. I give off the rrrr vibes pretty good, I think. My ma once told me, well, she talks about how everyone's got a bubble, alright? This invisible chunk of space around 'em where they don't want other people inside it. And some people got almost no bubble at all, they don't mind being close to people. But she told me I got a bubble that's like fifteen fucking feet wide. She's real good at sensing that kinda thing, and says I am too. Point is, I don't know why the fuck all these monsters and shit keep thinking they can get inside my bubble." IZZY "I didn't quite get that impression of you," Pride said, contrite. He tapped the table once more and it rippled back to pristine condition, and he stood to his full height. "You seem fairly open to the idea of letting monsters get near you." LINA "If they're hot." Goro winked. IZZY "Exactly what I'm talking about." LINA "Psh. Alright, but listen, those Wells sisters, I got no desire to go fooling around with either of them. Now, I'll be cordial and all--oh, wait. Okay, I'm starting to see what you mean. You're thinking, if I'm a little asshole toward 'em, they'll leave me alone. I don't know about that." IZZY "Have you tried it?" he asked, amused. LINA "No, but listen, I haven't been able to try it, 'cause there's always these motherfuckers who need to get got. And these ladies are no exception. I got a couple of the--the creatures they made, these guys who used to be people, and what, I'm just gonna fucking turn tail and run? No, I gotta figure out a way to help them." IZZY "Admirable." He still seemed amused. He tilted his head, then. "Creatures that used to be people?" LINA Goro nodded. "There was these two guys who were like--" He twisted his arms, wrapping them around each other. "And a guy who was like--" He hunched his shoulders up and dragged the collar of his shirt up to cover his mouth. IZZY Pride stared blankly. LINA "They're still in there, is the thing. They can't talk, but we got Mishka to detect their thoughts and shit." IZZY "Perhaps you could try being more descriptive," he suggested. "What are they like?" LINA "Uh." Goro patted his pockets. "You got like, a pen and some paper?" IZZY He snapped his fingers and a pen and sheaf of paper appeared on the table. He took a seat opposite Goro. LINA Goro eagerly reached out for the pen and paper and dragged them closer. He started sketching the twins first. He narrated as he drew. "So, the two heads, that was the two different people. They couldn't talk and they seemed real confused, but if I asked 'em questions, they could nod and shake their head and shit. I think they were just real scared. Anyway, they were all twisted up and shit, see, and there was just like, too many fuckin' hands going on--" He pointed amongst them all with the pen for emphasis. "Then there was this guy." Goro moved on to the second sketch. "Far as I could tell, he was just one person. Oh! And the mermaids. I mean, mermaid. That one was... a little unclear. Whether it was one person or two." IZZY Pride watched, head tilted in curiosity. "Transmutation magic," he said thoughtfully. LINA "Yeah?" Goro thought about it for a minute, and nodded. "There a way to fuckin' undo that?" IZZY "Further transmutation magic." LINA "Huh." Goro scratched his head and tugged at his hair. "I know a little bit of transmutation stuff. Most clerics do. And I don't got the faintest idea how I'd go about fixing that sorta thing." IZZY "Seek out a wizard," he suggested. "Quite a powerful, presumably," he added, looking down at the sketches. "Enlisting their creator to unmake them may be your best option." LINA "And that means not being a dick to 'em," Goro pointed out. IZZY "Maybe you should let them into your bubble," he said, smiling slightly. LINA "Sure. Only you were the one telling me a couple minutes ago I oughta avoid trouble." IZZY "Apparently, not an option for you, hm?" He hooked a claw into the paper to pull it closer, flipping it around and studying the sketches. "If you want to repair these creatures, please do have your own escape plan in place. Don't rely on Sakincha." LINA Goro shrugged. "We're working on fixing the ship." IZZY "Hm," he said, still looking over the paper. Then he looked up, intent. "Would you allow me to look into your mind and see these creatures as they are? I understand if you don't agree. But I must ask." LINA Goro narrowed his eyes. "What for?" IZZY "I'm curious." LINA Goro didn't say anything. He kept glaring. IZZY "No, then," he said, docile and gracious, setting the paper back down. LINA "Well," Goro said, still glaring. "I guess." IZZY Pride raised an eyebrow. His voice was gentle. "I guess is not typically the answer one looks for. I understand that you have that ring because of my brother's spawn," he said. "That's not what I am." LINA "I know that," Goro said. His thumb went automatically for his ring finger, wanting to feel the ring of mind-shielding there. But he hadn't dreamt it into place. IZZY "Very well, then," Pride said, and seemed satisfied with that. LINA Goro made a beckoning gesture toward his forehead. IZZY Pride looked amused. He deigned to hold his hand across the table, palm up, claws unfurling delicately. LINA Goro narrowed his eyes again, but reached out to take Pride's hand. IZZY His skin was somehow warm and cool at the same time. His hand closed around Goro's only slightly -- touching, not holding. Goro could easily whip his hand away at any time, although whether that would make it stop was unclear. Then there was a sensation like drinking hot soup or tea on a cold day -- warm and soothing, spreading, but not from any particular point. It sunk into him, somewhere in his chest, but seeming to be somewhere else when he focused on it -- somewhere in his gut, somewhere in his head, his hand, his chest again. The warmth seeped out from inside him, already bound up in his bones. Pride's gold eyes were molten, fixed on him. "I won't go any deeper," he said gently. "Focus on the creatures for me." LINA Goro grimaced, and tried not to squirm. He reminded himself where he really was -- curled up with Hansel, held tight, safe. An image Pride almost certainly saw before Goro caught himself, god damn it. The creatures. Yeah. They were easy enough to bring to mind. Goro thought of the twins first, then the man with no mouth, then the mermaid. Filed back through them in case Pride wanted another look. IZZY The heat lingered as Pride tilted his head, looking into the distance absently rather than at Goro. It had a lulling quality, a gentle pull towards sleep, the softest whisper suggesting, Shh, shh, it's okay, you're safe, you're warm, relax, lie down, close your eyes ... Then it faded away. Pride withdrew his hand. "Fascinating," he said. "Thank you." LINA Goro took his hand back and rubbed it, frowning at Pride uneasily. He didn't say anything. IZZY "Would you like to wake up, now?" Pride asked kindly. "I hope that wasn't too intrusive." LINA Goro shook his head. "I have to keep sleeping. So I get my magic back." IZZY "Then I can send you back to your own dreams, unless there's anything else you would like to discuss." LINA Goro leaned back a little and crossed his arms. When he had the choice, he preferred being awake to being asleep. His own dreams were usually bad or boring. If he had to sleep, being here was kinda more interesting. "Maybe," he said. IZZY Pride smiled faintly. "Maybe?" LINA "You know, you sure are a lot nicer than the Aziz version. The tiefling guy." IZZY "I am Aziz," he said. "The tiefling body is simply a construct." LINA "So..." Goro frowned. "What determines whether you're being a dick, then?" IZZY "Perhaps it's merely a matter of your own interpretation," he said, amused again. He leaned back into the couch, relaxing. LINA "I think you're full of shit." Goro relaxed more, too, mirroring him. IZZY "Do you, now?" LINA "The guy I made the contract with was different." IZZY "You know, mortals often find the source from which they receive information to be highly influential on how they perceive that information," he said, thoughtful. "I assumed that you may find the face of a tiefling more familiar and reassuring. I can take whatever form is most pleasing to you." He waved a hand, and was the paler tiefling -- again, and a dark-skinned human draped in azure robes -- again, and much the same but with gaunter features and sharp elven ears, piercing pale blue eyes that regarded Goro curiously. LINA Goro stared at him, unimpressed. IZZY "No?" he presumed. His voice in this form was lighter, slightly and strangely accented as if he came from some version of Alabaster that was just crossways removed from the real one. "You wouldn't say that this is different?" LINA "It ain't about form," Goro insisted. "You acted different. And you split into two parts. Two selves, I mean. 'Cause the regular version of you was busy hugging Sam." IZZY "Yes," he said. Behind Goro, someone began playing the harpsichord -- a twinkly, sweet song. The tiefling was at the keys, and a second later he was joined on a large upright harp by the elven body, as Pride resumed his normal demonic shape. "I'm quite good at multitasking." LINA Goro frowned some more. He looked around the room, pointedly not at any of the Prides, and twiddled his thumbs. Still couldn't shake off how awful it'd felt to sign that contract. Fucking lonely and powerless. Pride seemed so gentle and understanding, a lot of the time, and the guy who'd pushed the contract in front of him hadn't been. He wasn't sure he wanted to put all that into words, though. Maybe Pride was right, anyhow, and it was just Goro's perception or interpretation or whatever. Goro's perception was usually pretty fucking insightful, though. He pulled his feet up on the couch and hugged his knees to his chest. He looked at the Pride in front of him again. "Still gonna be able to do shit like that when you come to our world?" IZZY He snapped his fingers and the music stopped. "No. I'll be as constrained by the physical limitations of your plane as you are." LINA "Oh, I can make two of myself, actually." IZZY He smiled. "Only illusions." LINA "Is that not what you were doing there?" Goro wiggled his finger toward the harpsicord. IZZY He made a thoughtful sound. "You could consider it similar magic to the spell you might know as programmed illusion. They're constructs which behave as I command them, somewhat akin to a suggestion spell. On my plane, they're quite concrete -- not transient like an illusion. Physical. Real." He waved idly. "On your plane, I would require raw materials to create them, not only thought. It would be a process not unlike what must go into forming your creatures, in fact." LINA Goro nodded slowly, thinking. "You're gonna give up a lot to come to our side, seems like." IZZY "All worth the cost," he said softly. LINA "Sam?" IZZY "Indeed." LINA "Just Sam?" IZZY "Yes." He tilted his head. "Would you not cross planes to be with your beloved?" LINA "'Course I would. I'd do anything. But I'm kind of a weirdo." IZZY He smiled. "Then perhaps we have it in common." LINA Goro smiled back. "Maybe so." IZZY The smile lingered. "As pleasant as this is, I should warn you -- you aren't truly resting while you're here. I assume you will need your magic for the coming evening." LINA Goro's smile dropped away. "Oh. Wait. Shit. Really? I was hoping I could just fuckin' hang out here. Pass the time." IZZY "Unfortunately, no." LINA "Damn." Goro drummed his fingers on his knees. "Hey, can you like... make a dream for people?" IZZY "Certainly." He bowed his head slightly. "Once I left it, your mind would wander as it sees fit, but I could give you a place to start." LINA Goro nodded. He chewed his lip. IZZY Pride waited for a beat, then asked, "Would you like me to?" LINA Goro nodded again. IZZY Another beat. "I'm afraid you'll have to give me the initial blueprint," he said, adding, "It can be vague. Presumably your own mind can fill in the details." LINA Goro kept chewing his lip, then paused. "A seaside cottage. With a porch, facing the water, and a bench on the porch. Maybe one of those swinging benches. And I wanna be sitting on it with Hansel." IZZY The small, gentle smile returned. "If he's sleeping as well, I can pull him into the same dream. I've never communed with him, though -- are you able to agree to it on his behalf?" LINA Goro sat up a little straighter, hopeful. "Uh. I dunno. Can I? I mean." Pride wouldn't be asking if it were up to him. "I'm... pretty sure he'd like that." IZZY "I can't answer the question for you. I defer to your judgement." LINA Goro thought about it for a minute. He was sure Hansel wouldn't mind sharing a dream with him, especially not a nice one like that. But... Goro had promised Hansel he'd never spell him again, never mess with his head, and this felt kinda along those lines. He'd have to ask first. He shook his head. "Nah. Just... just a dream Hansel." IZZY "Very well." He held his hand up, fingers poised to snap. "Are you ready?" LINA Goro nodded. "Thanks." IZZY "Of course." His fingers snapped. And then there was the soft roar of the ocean, and Goro was pressed up against the heat of Hansel's side. There was the slightest cool breeze, but Goro was cozy, sheltered under Hansel's arm and against his skin, Hansel absently stroking his shoulder as he gazed out over the beach and the incoming waves. No one else was around -- just the two of them, cuddled together on a comfortable wooden swing, with Hansel swaying them back and forth with one foot on the weather-worn, smooth boards of the porch. A fire crackled in the hearth behind them, inside the cottage. The dream was sharp and real for a moment, then faded into a pleasant, vague haze. Hansel kissed Goro's hair. Category:Text Roleplay